Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 21:22     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Neither can most county government workers... nothing new.


Neither can many people. This isn’t a teacher issue.


It's an everyone issue because there is a huge problem of teacher shortage in both FCPS and in the communities where the teachers can afford to live.

So, teachers choose to teach in those less expensive communities, and the teacher shortage problem gets worse.


The teacher shortage is nationwide. FCPS has its lowest teacher vacancy rate in years.


But in most parts of the country the local public school is part of the community and you want teachers to be part of that community. It’s nice if the teachers kids go to the same wchool school or to the same orthodontist or to your church, if you run into the teacher in the grocery store. Otherwise it’s like they are guest workers or employees shipped din to teach your kids but not part of your world. My kids were in swim team with a local teachers kids and two teachers were neighbors where we used to live.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 21:10     Subject: Re:Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When I was a young, brand new teacher, I had a roommate. And, yes, it took a large portion of my income. This was decades ago.


When I moved to DC after law school to work at DOJ I had a roommate. In an apartment. That is all I could afford for years. And we lawyers didn't cry about it.


I sorta doubt it. Lawyers aren't always the great ones when compared to teachers. Nice try.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 21:01     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:An ED is much harder than a PhD


Dr. Biden, is that you?
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 20:51     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:A 20 year career making six figures with a BA in History, having summers off, with decent benefits is not some impoverished existence many make it out to be. I think teachers should be paid more across the country, and maybe they could start a bit higher, but for what they do and where they can go, it’s a pretty good life.

I think a big issue at times can be student loans weighing down early career teachers for too long waiting to move to a reasonable pay band. If you are going to be a teacher, and I get many people don’t always know at the time, but go to CNU, not UVA.


I think they need more aids and support in the classroom and a lot of the pay issues get conflated with this. If the pay was a little higher, and the workload was reduced, I think there would be a lot more satisfaction from teachers and parents.

But if they paid teachers significantly more rather than give them aides, who cost, and reduced the overhead BS from central admin, teachers would also be more satisfied with their chosen profession.


I don't know about that. I think we'd still be having discussions about teacher burnout.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 20:33     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:A 20 year career making six figures with a BA in History, having summers off, with decent benefits is not some impoverished existence many make it out to be. I think teachers should be paid more across the country, and maybe they could start a bit higher, but for what they do and where they can go, it’s a pretty good life.

I think a big issue at times can be student loans weighing down early career teachers for too long waiting to move to a reasonable pay band. If you are going to be a teacher, and I get many people don’t always know at the time, but go to CNU, not UVA.


I think they need more aids and support in the classroom and a lot of the pay issues get conflated with this. If the pay was a little higher, and the workload was reduced, I think there would be a lot more satisfaction from teachers and parents.

But if they paid teachers significantly more rather than give them aides, who cost, and reduced the overhead BS from central admin, teachers would also be more satisfied with their chosen profession.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 20:08     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:An ED is much harder than a PhD


OMG.

You should have your own show on Comedy Central.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 20:06     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So what? Neither can I. It took me an hour and 44 mins to get to work this morning. And I have significantly more education than most teachers.


71% of FCPS teachers hold at least a Masters degree. Many have more than one advanced degree.

I’m curious… what’s your education background?


Np. They don't need it. I'm all for paying teachers more, but they should be paid more because it's a hard job, not because they have an unnecessary masters degree.


I teach AP. You think my degree in my discipline is unnecessary?


A master's degree is unnecessary. And most teachers do not have a master's in the discipline they teach anyway, they have a bs masters in "liberal arts" or education. My BIL teaches AP and he doesn't have a grad degree in his discipline. He barely has a ba in it. "I teach AP" is not the flex you think it is.


Do you have a source for that? I was an elementary teacher and most of my colleagues had degrees in education as I did, but high school teachers likely have degrees in their discipline, as well. Pretty sure many have Masters' Degrees.

I am not sure that an anecdotal BIL is enough evidence to support your opinion.


Lol. Most high school teachers do not have a master's degree in the subject they teach. They have a bachelor's degree. And some of them have these get-the-extra-pay master's degrees in nothing from online.uni.com.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 20:04     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:A 20 year career making six figures with a BA in History, having summers off, with decent benefits is not some impoverished existence many make it out to be. I think teachers should be paid more across the country, and maybe they could start a bit higher, but for what they do and where they can go, it’s a pretty good life.

I think a big issue at times can be student loans weighing down early career teachers for too long waiting to move to a reasonable pay band. If you are going to be a teacher, and I get many people don’t always know at the time, but go to CNU, not UVA.


I think they need more aids and support in the classroom and a lot of the pay issues get conflated with this. If the pay was a little higher, and the workload was reduced, I think there would be a lot more satisfaction from teachers and parents.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 20:03     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
An ED is much harder than a PhD
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 20:01     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So what? Neither can I. It took me an hour and 44 mins to get to work this morning. And I have significantly more education than most teachers.


71% of FCPS teachers hold at least a Masters degree. Many have more than one advanced degree.

I’m curious… what’s your education background?


Np. They don't need it. I'm all for paying teachers more, but they should be paid more because it's a hard job, not because they have an unnecessary masters degree.


I teach AP. You think my degree in my discipline is unnecessary?


A master's degree is unnecessary. And most teachers do not have a master's in the discipline they teach anyway, they have a bs masters in "liberal arts" or education. My BIL teaches AP and he doesn't have a grad degree in his discipline. He barely has a ba in it. "I teach AP" is not the flex you think it is.


Do you have a source for that? I was an elementary teacher and most of my colleagues had degrees in education as I did, but high school teachers likely have degrees in their discipline, as well. Pretty sure many have Masters' Degrees.

I am not sure that an anecdotal BIL is enough evidence to support your opinion.


Pp is saying they don't have a masters in the area, ie subject area, they teach. I've met many teachers with masters degrees in education but not a single one with a masters in a substantive subject, e.g. a history teacher having a *masters* in history, not just a BA in history and a masters in education.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 19:56     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:I can’t afford to live near my accounting firm. My commute is an hour.


Please, stop complaining.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 19:51     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
A 20 year career making six figures with a BA in History, having summers off, with decent benefits is not some impoverished existence many make it out to be. I think teachers should be paid more across the country, and maybe they could start a bit higher, but for what they do and where they can go, it’s a pretty good life.

I think a big issue at times can be student loans weighing down early career teachers for too long waiting to move to a reasonable pay band. If you are going to be a teacher, and I get many people don’t always know at the time, but go to CNU, not UVA.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 19:44     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So what? Neither can I. It took me an hour and 44 mins to get to work this morning. And I have significantly more education than most teachers.


71% of FCPS teachers hold at least a Masters degree. Many have more than one advanced degree.

I’m curious… what’s your education background?


Np. They don't need it. I'm all for paying teachers more, but they should be paid more because it's a hard job, not because they have an unnecessary masters degree.


I teach AP. You think my degree in my discipline is unnecessary?


A master's degree is unnecessary. And most teachers do not have a master's in the discipline they teach anyway, they have a bs masters in "liberal arts" or education. My BIL teaches AP and he doesn't have a grad degree in his discipline. He barely has a ba in it. "I teach AP" is not the flex you think it is.


Do you have a source for that? I was an elementary teacher and most of my colleagues had degrees in education as I did, but high school teachers likely have degrees in their discipline, as well. Pretty sure many have Masters' Degrees.

I am not sure that an anecdotal BIL is enough evidence to support your opinion.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 19:39     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So what? Neither can I. It took me an hour and 44 mins to get to work this morning. And I have significantly more education than most teachers.


71% of FCPS teachers hold at least a Masters degree. Many have more than one advanced degree.

I’m curious… what’s your education background?


Np. They don't need it. I'm all for paying teachers more, but they should be paid more because it's a hard job, not because they have an unnecessary masters degree.


I teach AP. You think my degree in my discipline is unnecessary?


A master's degree is unnecessary. And most teachers do not have a master's in the discipline they teach anyway, they have a bs masters in "liberal arts" or education. My BIL teaches AP and he doesn't have a grad degree in his discipline. He barely has a ba in it. "I teach AP" is not the flex you think it is.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2025 19:36     Subject: Fairfax Co. teachers can’t afford to live near where they work, report finds
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Teachers have become master complainers. There are numerous professions that can’t afford this area but they don’t get articles written for them.

Teachers get pensions, good benefits and more leave than any other profession (I knows, I know- you only care paid for 39 weeks).


You’re welcome to teach. If teachers have it better than you, then jump on over.

Plenty have left the profession to make room for you.


That PP didn't say teachers have it better than they do. Learn to read. DP